Glass-drawing apparatus.



W. E. SLOPPY. GLASS DRAWlNG APPARATUS. nmcmou mm rm. 15. ms.

Patented Sept.

L L'- Slo 1 y.

WILLIAM E. SLOPPY, OF KANE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GLASS-DRAWING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 15. 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. SLoi-rr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kane, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Glass-Drawing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for drawing from glass pots or receptacles cylinders from which sheets of window or plate glass are subsequently formed, and the object of the invention is to provide simple and efiicient means for automatically controlling the supply of air to the cylinder so as to maintain a uniform pressure and temperature within the upper end ot the cylinder and below the cap or bait.

The stated object and other objects which will incidentally appear are attained in mechanism of the character illustrated in" the accompanying drawings and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be first fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

In the annexed drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away of an apparatus embodying my present improve ments; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same.

In the annexed drawings, 1 indicates the melting pot or other receptacle for the molten glass which may he of any well-known or preferred construction. The cylinder or roller 2 is drawn from the receptacle by immersing the bait 3 in the bath ofglass andthen lifting the bait. To properly distend the walls of the lass cvlinder and vrcvent collapse of the same, it is customary to supply air or other under pressure to the interior of the cylinder through the bait and my present invention relates parti ularly to means for automatically controlling the llow of air so that it will be supplied as needed.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a cylinder 4; into the upper end of which a supply pipe 5 leads, said pipe being connected with a blower or other source of fluid supply through a telescopic or other flexible connection. From the lower end of the cylinder 4 an air pipe (3 extends down ward and this air pipe carries the bait 3 which is dipped into the molten glass preparatory to drawing the glass ylinder. The pipes 5 and (i are secured in any convenient Specification f Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Seria. No. 78,467.

manner to the upper and lower ends, reslwctively. of a carrier or cage 7 which is movable vertically upon guides b rising from the reu-ptacle 1. Cables J are secured to the carrier and are connected to a hoist for the purpose of raising and lowering the carrier and the parts mounted thereon. A bypass it) leads around the cylinder -l to connect the pipes 5' and t1 and in the said bypass I provide a cut-off valve ll which may he of any well-knownconstruction. A bypass 12 connects the upper and lower ends of the cylinder and in the upper end of this by pass, I provide a valve 13 having a crank or arm 14 carried by its stem. The said crank is pivoted to the upper end of a piston rod 15 which depends therefrom and has a. piston 16 secured to its lower end. The piston 16 plays in a guiding tube 17 which rises from a partition 18 secured within the cylinder 4 above the lower end of the bypass 12. This partition carries packing 19 so as to tit air-tight within the cylinder and it is constructed with a central opening which registers with the lower end of the guide tube 17. The piston 16 is movable freely in the guide tube but has an air-tight fit therein so that the position of the piston in the tube will be determined by the pres sure on the under side of the piston. The piston is imperi'orate so that it will respond promptly to variations in the air pressure and the piston rod has enough play in the upper end of the guide tube to accommodate the lateral movement of the crank 14. A stop 20 is provided the piston rod to bear upon the upper end of the guide tube and thereby limit the downward movement of the rod and prevent the crank coming to rest on a dead center.

hi the operation of this device, the bait is immersed in the, bath of molten glass, as above stated. and air is admitted through the pipe 5 and will flow through the by-pass 10 and the b v-pass 1:2 to the space below the partition 18 and will. of course, pass" into the glass be low the bait, filling the two by-passes, as well as the space between the piston 16 and the lower end of the cylinder l. The glass haying been engaged on the end of the bait so that the initial formation is effected, the valve '11 is opened so as to form the cap and alter the cap is formed the valve 11 is closed, and the entire apparatus is lifted by means of the, cables 9 and the glass will be drawn tron: the bath in the f' lfl of a tube or cylinder, as is well known to those skilled in the art. .\s the apparatus rises and the glass cylinder or tube is lengthened, a greater quantity of air will be needed to maintain the temperature and pressure within the same and this air will be supplied through the valve 13 and by-pass 12, as will be readily understood. Should too great a quantity of air flow into the cylinder, the pressure within the same will react against the piston 16 so as to force the same upwardly and thereby cause the valve 13 to turn to its cut-oil position so that further flow of air will be arrested. As the pressure within the cylinder decreases and more air is needed, the piston will descend and exert a pull upon the arm or crank 14 so as to again openthe valve whereupon the pressure fluid will again flow through the by-pass 12. It will be understood that the valve 13 permits the passage of only a small supply of air at all times so that the air will only be admitted in a quantity sutii cient to maintain the formation of the glass cylinder and by opening the valve 11 more or less the initial formation of the end of the cylinder and the formation of the cap can be accurately controlled. After the cap is formed the valve 11 is closed and the 'air to the glass cylinder is then supplied only through the valve 13. It will also be understood that the crank 14 on the stem of said valve does not have a very extended movement and the are described by the outer end of said crank is very slight so that the lateral movement of the piston rod 15 will be practically imperceptible and it will be a very simple matter for a skilled mechanic to* so proportion the parts that the piston rod may move freely without admitting air to the guide tube 14. If necessary, a flexible or elastic packing can be placed in the upper end of the guide tube around the piston rod to prevent leakage of air into the tube so that the piston will be subjected to pressure only from below and if any air should happen to leak into the guide tube it will be overbalanced by the greater volume of air admitted into the space below the piston.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen /that I have provided an exceedingly simple apparatus by which the admission of the air to the glass cylinder or tube will be automatically regulated and the operation of drawing the glass will be expedited.

l-laving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination of a cylinder having an inlet connected with a source of fluid pressure supply; an outlet adapted to be immersed in the molten glass, a bypass connecting the inlet and the outlet, a cut-off valve in said bypass, and means within the cylinder operated by the pressure within the glass tube for controlling the flow through the by-pass.

2. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination of a cylinder, an inlet connecting the upper end of the cylinder with a source of tiuul pressure sup ly, an outlet leading from the lower end 0 the cylinder to be immersed in the molten. glass, a by-pass connecting the inlet and the outlet, a cut-oflt' valve 1n said by-pass, a by-pass connecting the upper and lower ends of said cylinder, a cut-off valve in the upper end of said lastmentioned byass, a piston within the cylinder controlle by the pressure within the glass, and connections between said piston and said last-mentioned valve.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a supply pipe, an outlet pipe adapted to engage in a glass cylinder and communicate with the interior thereof, a bypass disposed between and communicating with the supply pipe and the outlet, and means disposed between the ends of said bypass and controlled by the pressure within the said glass 0 linder to regulate the flow to said cylin er.

4. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination of a supply pipe, an outlet, at bypass disposed between and communicating with said pipes, a cut-off valve at the up er end of said by-pass, a piston disposed etween the ends of the said by-pass and controlled by the pressure within the glass cylinder, and a connection between the said piston and said valve.

5. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination'of a cylinder, a supply pipe leading into the upper end of the cylinder, an outlet leadmg from the lower end of the cylinder to be immersed in the glass, a by-pass connecting the. ends of the cylinder, a partition within said cylinder above the lower end of said by-pass, a guide tube rising from said partition, a valve at the upper end of the by-pass having a crank secured upon its stem, a. piston playing in the guide tube and open to the pressure within the glass below the partition, and a piston rod extending from said piston and connected to the said crank on the stem of said valve.

6. In a glass drawing apparatus, the combination of a cylinder, a supply pipe leading into the upper end of said cylinder, anoutlet pipe leading from the lower end of. said cylinder to e immersed in the glass, a bypass connecting the ends of the cylinder, a rotary cut-01f valve in the upper end of the by-pass having a crank on its stem, a piston arranged within the cylinder above the lower end of the by-pass and subject to the ressure within the glass, and a connection )etween the said piston and the said crank.

7 In a lass drawing apparatus, the combination o a cylinder, a supply pipe leading inm the upper end (if tlw cylinder, an putlrt and subject to the pressure within the glass, pipe loading from the lmn-rvnd ()fLiIU-QVHH- a piston rod extending from said piston dor in he immcrsi-din tho glass. a lrvqmss through the guide and minim- 0d (u said 10 ruinwvling (he ends 0f the (Xihukfli :1 ('M- rrank, and a ship (in said piston rod adapted 011' min: in the uppr 0nd of (hilay-Russ to hvar upon the upper 0nd of the guide. having a crankmn its SU'III, a guide within In testimony wlwreufl aiiix my signature. the cylinder, :1 piston playing in said guide- \VILLIAM E. SLUPPY. IL. sf] 

